About CAT4
CAT4 is the new edition of GL Assessment’s well
established Cognitive Abilities Test, Ireland’s most
widely used test of reasoning abilities for pupils aged 7
to 17+ years. As part of the project to develop a new
edition, an Irish version has been produced, which has
been fully standardised for Ireland from ages 10:06 to 17+
years.
Available
as
either a paper or online test, the seamless assessment is
designed to support Primary and Post-Primary schools in
understanding pupils’ developed abilities, likely academic
potential and learning preferences. It measures the four
principle areas of reasoning – verbal, non-verbal,
quantitative and spatial – allowing schools to test the
full range within an entire class or year.
CAT4 assesses a pupil’s ability to reason with and
manipulate different types of material through a series of
Verbal, Non-Verbal, Quantitative and Spatial Ability
tasks. Together, these four tests provide teachers with a
comprehensive profile of a pupil’s reasoning abilities,
and as such the core abilities related to learning.
The resulting data can then be used to identify a pupil’s strengths, weaknesses and learning preferences, providing accurate and reliable information that is essential for personalised learning. The more we know about a pupil, the better position we should be in to offer a learning environment and ways of teaching and learning that allow pupils to maximise their potential. Information about a pupil’s reasoning ability will be key to many decisions and should be considered alongside attainment data and other factors known to impact on learning, such as attendance and attitude.
How will I benefit from the results CAT4: Irish Edition provides?
• Identify gifted and talented pupils and those that may be coasting in class
• Pinpoint underachieving pupils and help in setting targets for future attainment.
• Identify a pupil’s strengths, weaknesses and learning preferences, providing accurate and reliable information that is essential for personalised learning.
• CAT4: Irish Edition’s ability to assess, to inform intervention and to monitor changes over time, makes it an ideal assessment tool when following the guidelines recommended in the ‘Special Educational Needs: A Continuum of Support’ document from the National Educational Psychology Service (NEPS).
• The addition of a separate spatial battery to CAT4: Irish Edition also helps to promote science and technology in schools, a key aim of the Irish education system in support of “maintaining economic competitiveness and securing continued prosperity”.
Please note: This product cannot be sold to parents/home users. Available to schools only.
Why use CAT4?
• CAT4 identifies a pupil’s strengths, weaknesses and learning preferences, providing accurate and reliable information that is essential for personalised learning.
• CAT4 is unique in the way it can ‘unlock potential’ – that is, identify a pupil with high level ability who may have been overlooked or who is in danger of underachieving.
• A new Spatial Ability test has been developed building on the latest research which confirms the importance of assessing pupils’ spatial ability in order to develop and support spatial skills which are so important across the curriculum and the basis for success in STEM subjects and careers.
• Results from CAT can help in intervention, monitoring progress and setting targets for future attainment.
• CAT4 data can be used for school self-evaluation and monitoring.
• A brand new suite of easy-to-understand reports offer richer and far more comprehensive assessment data
• Different reports are available for teachers, senior leaders, parents and pupils in a number of formats
• Levels D,E, F and G fully standardised for Ireland on a sample of 6,500 pupils, providing accurate, up-to-date data.
• Level F for Third Year and Level G for TY/Fifth Year can be used as an alternative to the DAT.
• For users of the paper test, a comprehensive Scoring Service is available.
• Recommendations from the Department of Education and Skills’ list of ‘Formal assessment instruments (including test) approved for use in 2013/14 for guidance and/or learning support in Post-Primary schools’.